Indian Test team’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who last featured in a One Day International (ODI) game for India in February 2018 in South Africa, is hoping to make a comeback in the blue jersey.

Rahane believes that if he could continue to perform well in the longest format of the game, the selectors will place their trust on him in the limited-overs matches as well.

Rahane was addressing reporters at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. He and few other Test players were practising at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) there with the pink-ball for the Day-Night Test against Bangladesh.

“I just need to play well in the Test matches, keep scoring runs and I am confident that I will be back in the ODI side. It is all about self-belief and being confident. Staying in the present will help me, if I contribute to the side’s cause in Tests, I am sure I will be back in the ODI squad,” IANS quoted Rahane.

The 31-year-old has so far played 90 ODIs and has batted in 87 innings. The right-hander has amassed 2,962 runs at an average of 35.26 and has three centuries and 24 half-centuries under his name.

Along with Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja were also there at the NCA preparing for India’s first-ever pink-ball Test, to be held at the Eden Gardens from November 22. Rahul Dravid, the Head of Cricket NCA, was believed to be monitoring the session.

“At the NCA, we had two practice sessions with the pink ball. One during the day, and the other during the night. For me, it was exciting as playing with a pink ball is different altogether. Our goal was to see how the ball behaves. We had a word with Rahul Dravid as well, but right now the focus is on the Indore Test,” Rahane was quoted as saying by ANI.

However, he added that that the players’ focus right now has shifted to the first Test which will be a day affair in red ball. The first match of the two-Test series will be played in Indore from November 14.

“We are focussing on the Indore Test right now. I thought we played really well against South Africa, but as a side, we must stay in the present and we do not take any opponent lightly,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)